Artist s maulstick



Dec. 27, 1949 N. P. LEOUNES ARTISTS MAULSTICK 2 She'ets- Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1947 NICHOLAS R LEOUNES Dec. 27, 1949 N. P. LEOUNES ARTISTS MAULSTICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1947 vF'IG.5

W Maw M w R 5 w m fl I mg H k @120 L T 1 L m Patented Dec. 27, 1949 s PATENT OFFICE ARTISTS MAULSTICK Nicholas P. Leounes, Wilmington, Del.

Application October 14, 1947, Serial No. 779,734

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ap- I paratus for use by artists, and is directed more particularly to the provision of a device adapted tofacilitate the holding of an artists easel with respect to the canvas being worked upon.

It Well is appreciated by artists, at least, that it is sometimes difficult to hold the brush with respect tothe palette and canvas in such a way as to achieve the best results. It has, therefore, been found desirable to provide a so-called maulstick adapted to support the brush-holding hand in steady position with respect to the palette and canvas.

It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide an adjustable maulstick which is adapted for use by artists and so constructed as to be used with canvases of various sizes. That is to say, the adjustable palette support is so con-' structed and arranged as to move vertically and horizontally with respect to the canvas and so adapted that it will not touch the canvas and thereby leave marks or smudges on the painted surface as the artist is working thereupon.

A further feature of the invention is that the stick may be formed in sections so as to be adjustable relative to the canvas so that the angle thereof relative to the canvas may be changed at will. It will be appreciated that the device may be associated with either side of the easel so that the angular adjustment may be made relative to either side of the canvas.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a perpendicular, so-called maulstick which is readily attachable to the easel and adjustable thereto. That is to say, and forth in a pendulum manner across the whole face of the canvas without loosening or readjusting of the horizontal rod which will eventually be described.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an easel and the device of the invention associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view on an enlarged scale, showing the device of the invention associated with an easel;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view in perspective showing the particular clamping device of the invention associated with a canvas;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the clamping means of the invention;

Figure 5 is a side elevational View, partly in section, of the end portion of the clamping device;

it may be swung back Figure 6 is a side elevational view, partly in section;

Figure '7 is a broken view of the supporting rod, adapted to explain certain features of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the invention will be described.

The canvas is indicated generally by the letter C, and the easel supporting the same is shown at E. It is usual to have the canvas swingable toward and away from the forward surface of the easel E, and as a special feature of this invention, the relative adjustment of the members C and E is readily accomplished. There is a block l0 carried 7 by the upper end portion of the easel, and this is preferably of angle HOn construction adapted to be suitably secured to the easel E.

The supporting block It may be secured to the support E in any suitable way, such as by rivets, bolts or the like, I2. The forwardly-projecting ledge-like portion [3 of the block In is provided with a rivet it which is rotatable therein to suitably support for swinging movements relative thereto a substantially horizontally-extending support ld. This member i4 is formed to have a hub portion and a clamping portion 22, both of whichportions are provided with openings which are in axial alignment with one another. A rod extends through the said openings in the portions 20 and 22.

The clamping member 22 is provided with a hub 21 apertured for receiving a screw-threaded part 26 which is obviously rotatable therein, and it has disc-like parts on its opposite ends, and the outer faces of the disc-like parts are substantially flat and substantially parallel toone another in all of the adjusted positions of the member 26relative to the canvas. The rod 26 is adapted to swing relative to the front surface of the canvas C in such a way that the said flat outer surface of one or the other of the disc portions 30 is automatically brought into bearing engagement with the canvas 0.

The body portion of the stick body, indicated generally by the numeral 40, may consist of any desired number of sections, but according to the preferred form of the invention, they will have extended end portions 42 which are threaded into suitable recesses 44 provided in the adjoining end portions of the sections to which they are connected. The body portion, therefore, is extensible regardless of the angular position in which it is placed with respect to the horizontal or vertical.

It will be seen that the part 26 may be readily swung into and out of engaging relationship with the canvas C, and that the same is adjustable so as to engage either side thereof and may be readily positioned both vertically and horizontally in order that the artist may properly support his paint-brushing hand relative to the canvas.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, andothers, including many advantages of great prac tical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The combination with an easel having a standard upon which forward side a canvas is adapted to be mounted, of an artists maulstick comprising a bracket secured to the easel standard to project forwardly from said standard above the canvas, a substantially horizontal arm pivotedon said bracket by one end to project forwardly over the canvas and swing from side to side in a horizontal plane, aligned bearings spaced along said arm, a smooth rod rotatably and slidably positioned in said bearings for forward and rearward adjustment relative to said arm, means on one of said bearings for securing said rod against rotation and longitudinal movement relative to said arm, a transverse internally threaded element on the outer end of said arm, a threaded rod extending through said element and rotatable relative thereto to extend said threaded rod to either side of said bracket, contact members on the outer ends of said threaded rod, astick depending from the forward end of said smooth rod, and means securing the upper end of said depending stick to the forward end of said smooth rod enabling angulating said stick forwardly and rearwardly and from side to side relative to said smooth rod.

2. The combination with an easel having a standard upon which forward side a canvas is adapted to be mounted, of an artists maulstick comprising a bracket secured to the easel standard to project forwardly from said standard above the canvas, a substantially horizontal arm pivoted on said bracket by one end to project forwardly over the canvas and swing from side to side in a horizontal plane, aligned bearings spaced along said arm, a smooth rod rotatably and slidably positioned in said bearings for forward and rearward adjustment relative to said arm, means on one of said bearings for securing said rod against rotation and longitudinal movement relative to said arm, a transverse internally threaded element on the outer end of said arm, a threaded rod extending through said element and rotatable relative thereto to extend said threaded rod to either side of said bracket, contact members on the outer ends of said threaded rod, a stick depending from the forward end of said smooth rod, and means securing the upper end of said depending stick to the forward end of said smooth rod enabling angulating said stick forwardly and rearwardly and from side to side relative to said smooth rod, said bearings being located on the upper side of said arm and projecting thereabove.

3. The combination with an easel having a standard upon which forward side a canvas is adapted to be mounted, of an artist's maulstick comprising a bracket secured to the easel stand ard to project forwardly from said standard above the canvas, a substantially horizontal arm pivoted on said bracket by one end to project forwardly over the canvas and swing from side to side in a horizontal plane, aligned bearings spaced along said arm, a smooth rod rotatably and slidably positioned in said bearings for for ward and rearward adjustment relative to said arm, means on one of said bearings .for securing said rod against rotation and longitudinal movement relative to said arm, a transverse internally threaded element on the outer end of said arm, a threaded rod extending through said element and rotatable relative thereto to extend said threaded rod to either side of said bracket, contact members on the outer ends of said threaded rod, a stick depending from the for- Ward end of said smooth rod, and means secin'ing the upper end of said depending stick to the forward end of said smooth rod enabling angulating said stick forwardly and rearwardly and from. side to side relative to said smooth rod, said bear-- ings being located on the upper side of said am and projecting thereabove, said transverse intennally threaded element being positioned on 'a. level below said bearings and substantially in the plane of said arm.

NICHOLAS P. LEOUNES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

